Federal and state authorities have arrested nine individuals for their alleged roles in narcotics distribution and money laundering activities on San Antonio’s Eastside, announced United States Attorney John F. Bash; Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Will Glaspy, Houston Division; San Antonio Police Chief William McManus; Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar; and Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw.

The indictment alleges that these defendants distributed multi-kilograms of cocaine since January 2015.

All of the defendants remain in federal custody pending detention hearings expected to occur next week in U.S. Magistrate Court in San Antonio. Upon conviction, the defendants face between ten years and life in prison on the drug conspiracy charge and up to 20 years in federal prison on the money laundering conspiracy charge.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, the San Antonio Police Department, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas Department of Public Safety are investigating this case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Castle Hills Police Department, Live Oak Police Department, Leon Valley Police Department, Hollywood Park Police Department, and Comal County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell Leachman is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.

“SAPD is pleased with the success of the recent collaborative operations with our law enforcement partners. We want to thank all the taskforces involved for their dedication. The recent arrests takes us a step closer to making our community safer. We will continue to work to bring justice to those who threaten the safety of our great city,” stated SAPD Chief McManus.

“The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office is proud of our ongoing relationship with our area Law Enforcement partners. This operation’s success is a direct testament to what happens when we all work together for the greater good of our community,” stated Bexar County Sheriff Salazar. (more) SA Eastside Initiative – Sarpenter, et al. indictment release September 7, 2018 Page 2

“This cocaine distribution investigation is a great example of the valuable partnerships between local, state and federal law enforcement in Texas, which is critical to combatting crime in our communities,” said DPS Director Steven McCraw. “Thanks to the collaborative efforts during this investigation, the community is safer today with these suspects behind bars.”

The principal mission of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering operations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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